


Equivocation

by is_this_thing_anon



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Dubious Consent, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:26:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28208283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/is_this_thing_anon/pseuds/is_this_thing_anon
Summary: There’s a certain pause that she’s gotten used to, ever since he came back.
Relationships: Peter Parker/Pepper Potts/Tony Stark
Comments: 6
Kudos: 32
Collections: Ironspiders Georg Secret Stocking Stuffer Exchange 2020





	Equivocation

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Miri Cleo (miri_cleo)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/miri_cleo/gifts).



> Vague content warning here for dubious consent. If you want a more explicit warning, click to the end notes!

There’s a certain pause that she’s gotten used to, ever since he came back. It’s a split-second, barely noticeable to anyone who isn’t her; but still, a pause where Pepper imagines she can almost see the wheels turning in Tony’s mind while he figures out how he’s supposed to respond. 

There’s no identifiable trend in the types of conversations or situations that seem to prompt the pause. At least, not that Pepper has been able to distinguish. Sometimes it’s where to eat for dinner. Sometimes she sees it when he’s with Morgan, like he has to do some kind of quick mental calculus to remind himself how to be a dad.

It’s okay. She’ll take it, especially given the alternative.

Anything to do with Peter will usually also do it. Whether Peter is coming up to visit for the weekend (he usually is), what the kid has been working on lately (probably something Pepper will wish Peter would let her file a patent for), how Tony thinks his training is going (a fifty-fifty split: when Peter shows up flushed and grinning like a loon Tony will say it’s been terrible, when Tony shows up grinning, Peter will be in a noticeably darker mood).

Pepper had been surprised, if she’s being honest, when Tony had jumped back into the superhero training thing. Another part of her isn’t surprised at all. 

Tony was back now. All of him.

She’s significantly less surprised when he makes the suggestion that he does. 

“I want him, Pep,” Tony says, as they both watch Peter chase Morgan around the yard from the porch. 

“I don’t know if I did before - ” he looks at Pepper for confirmation but all she can do is raise her eyebrows. She doesn’t have an answer there. Peter had been sixteen when he’d been snapped away; nineteen now. All of them were different people than they’d been, back then. “Tell me you’ve thought about it. Like, at least once.”

Pepper can see it. Peter has grown past most of his boyish awkwardness - not all of it, because he’ll still stutter a bit and blush when Pepper drops the odd double entendre in front of him. He’s certainly good looking, and sweet in a way that’s all the more impressive given everything he’s been through. 

“I’ve thought about it,” she says, noncommital. It’s hard to tell just yet if this is one of Tony’s odd musings, or if it’s actually going somewhere meaningful. 

“Good thoughts? Bad thoughts?”

“Interesting thoughts.”

“Interesting, huh?” Tony says, watching Peter lift Morgan over his head with one hand. 

Pepper tests the waters at dinner that night. Peter sucks in a breath and lets it out slowly when she touches his back, letting her hand linger as she leans over him to pour herself another glass of wine. She meets Tony’s eyes across the table, catching the flash of heat there. So, possibly more than just idle musings, then.

They stay up long after putting Morgan to bed - Morgan demanding kisses from each of them in turn. It’s possible that Peter has already been integrated into their routine even more than Pepper had realized.

Tony settles a hand low on Peter’s back as they head back to the living room.

“Wine?” Pepper offers.

“Oh - um. No thanks, Ms. Potts. I mean, Mrs. Stark.”

“Pepper,” Pepper offers.

“Pepper. Right, sorry.”

Tony snorts, and Pepper shoots him a look. Tony gives her his best  _ who me? _ look, which she’s seen far too many times for it to have any impact. 

“She’s offering you wine because you seem a little tense there, kid.”

“I’m not tense!”

“Uh huh.”

Peter swallows when she kisses his neck and tells him to relax. He doesn’t relax, although Pepper doesn’t entirely blame him for that, given the way she can see Tony massaging his way up the inside of Peter’s thigh. Pepper tips her head back, focused on Peter’s face. He blinks back at her, like he doesn’t quite believe what’s happening. She raises her eyebrows in question.

She half expects him to stammer an excuse and head for the door. Instead, he nods.

Peter is sweet, and maybe just a little bit smoother than she would've given him credit for. He settles his hands on her waist when she kisses him, and only gasps a little when Tony steps up behind him. There's that pause again - Tony looking at them both like he's trying to game out what comes next.

Pepper still isn't sure if she'll ever get used to it; that look in his eyes that manages to be both achingly familiar and completely foreign at the same time. It's the color, mostly. 

She's spent too many years in love with Tony's brown eyes to adjust to seeing them in blue.

**Author's Note:**

> Content warning: yeah, so it's SIM!Tony, which neither Peter nor Pepper realize.


End file.
